Ortom Speaks Tough, Says He Will Never Support A Fulani Man As President In 2023 ….. Just As PDP G-5 Governors Launches Campaign Against Atiku Abukakar Ahead Of 2023

By Toba Emmanuel

The Governor of Benue State, Ortom has made public his resolve never to support a Fulani man as the President of the Country ahead of the 2023 general elections in the Country. 

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Ortom gave the declaration while hosting the PDP G-5 Governor’s into a dinner held at the banquet hall inside the government house in Markurdi on Sunday evening in preparation for the formal launching of campaigns against the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abukakar which took place on Monday ahead of the 2023 general elections in the Country. 

Speaking further, while welcoming his other PDP G-5 Governor’s on Sunday evening inside the Markurdi government house, Governor Ortom warned his people against supporting a Fulani man for the 2023 presidential election, even as he asked the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abukakar, who is a Fulani, to go to hell.

He warned “that any Benue person who supports a Fulani man in the 2023 general elections would automatically be regarded as the enemy of the State”.

He described the long silence by members of the PDP from the State in the National Assembly as a clear indication of complicity in the invasion and killings of Benue citizens.

He said, “I am very angry with all the members of the National Assembly who are from Benue State for leaving me alone in the fight against this invasion. Your long silence over the killing of our people by the marauding herdsmen who have vowed to take over our ancestral lands, I am not happy with you, especially the senators. Keeping quiet for this pogrom on our people means you are dining and wining with the FG at the detriment of the people that elected you”.

“I will never again support any Fulani man in the 2023 elections to continue with the killings of my people and the collections of their ancestral lands”.

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“To hell with the PDP presidential candidate; I can’t support a Fulani man for any election so that they will continue with the killings of our people. At 62, I am not afraid of death. Even if I die defending my people, I will be grateful to God because I will be fulfilled.”

Meanwhile, while declaring open the campaigns against Alhaji Atiku Abukakar, the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2023 general elections in Markurdi on Monday, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and his other PDP G5 Governor’s declared that they are bonded together to save Nigeria as a Country, and that, no efforts to break their ranks will ever succeed. 

High point of the campaigns, which many consider as a kick-off of the campaign against their own party and candidate, was the bestowing of Honorary Citizen’s Status on his colleagues by the host, Ortom.

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Speaking at the event, Wike said nobody can break the ranks of the five PDP governors (G5) who have continued to insist on the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

He noted that because the five governors had remained dogged on their demand, people have made several efforts to break their ranks but cannot succeed.

The governor said, “and if you look at us here, the way we are, people have tried to see how they can break us, you cannot. We are bonded to save Nigeria”, he declared.

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“That is why when you see all of us, we are impenetrable. Nobody can divide us. They have tried everything in this world to divide us, but no way”.

“The way we operate, I will talk; we have people who don’t talk. You may be underrating them. By the time they will shock you, you will think it is Wike. It is not the Wike you are seeing.”

Wike added, that Nigerians are expecting the PDP to rescue the Country, but it appears the leadership of the party is not showing serious commitment to that course.

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Noting that inclusivity remains a precursor for peace and unity, he said, “Agreement is agreement. Respect agreement, so that there will be peace, there will be unity. What we are asking for is inclusivity; include everybody”.

“We are not talking about presidential candidates. We have finished that one. We have a presidential candidate, we have a vice presidential candidate”.

“But that one that will go to the other people, give them so that everybody will move forward. That is what we are saying, nothing more.”

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On the 25 buses donated to Benue State PDP for their campaigns, Wike corrected and gave a clearer perspective to it.

The governor explained that the buses were part of the bulk of vehicles his team acquired for his presidential campaigns if he had won the primary.

He stated that since that ambition did not materialize, the team decided that the vehicles should be shared among those who supported the course.

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The governor said the G-5 comprises people who have shown leadership in their various states, and on issues of national concern, taken the risk to speak the truth, maintain integrity and are consistent.

The G-5 Governors took turn to describe Wike as a true friend of Benue who has taken it upon himself to support the humanitarian crises the State is going through, adding that the state has already received the sum of over N700 million from him for the welfare of the displaced persons.

He also clarified that the Rivers State governor was not against Ayu as a person, but is standing for what is true, fair, equity and justice in the PDP.

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Ortom noted that the G5 have all agreed to work together for the good of Nigeria and to deliver it from the basement of bad leadership that has plunged it.

Also, Abia State Governor, Ikpeazu, told the People of Benue State to choose life over death by voting wisely during the 2023 general elections.

Governor Ikpeazu who made the call in Makurdi, the Benue State capital during the flag off of the PDP gubernatorial and senatorial campaigns said whoever comes to kill farmers, destroy their farms to take over the ancestral lands of the people who depend on agriculture as their livelihood has taken life out of the people.

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“The issue at stake today is about us in Benue State choosing life over death and we have seen the efforts Governor Ortom has made to cry about our plight here in Benue State”.

“Anybody who takes us away from our farms, takes our lives away. Therefore, I want to urge the people of Benue State to follow Governor Ortom; ‘follow him who knows road; don’t follow somebody who does not know road’. I believe that Ortom is the Moses of PDP that will take Benue to the Canaan land. My prayer is that the Benue people will be wise once again so that they will follow Uba and all our candidates in PDP.”

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